Calls at Gordons Bay; Hibberdene; East London and Port Edward

NSRI are urging the public to be cautious around the coastline during the storm conditions over this weekend and into next week. Follow the South African Weather Service bulletins to monitor weather reports.GORDONS BAY:Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said: On Thursday, 13th July, at 09h47, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a ski-boat suffering motor mechanical failure with 6 crew onboard 4 nautical miles off Gordons Bay.NSRI Simonstown sent crew to Gordons Bay by road to assist the NSRI Gordons Bay crew.The sea rescue craft Jack & Irene was launched and on arrival on the scene the crew and their boat was found safe and a towline was rigged and they were towed safely into Gordons Bay Harbour and no further assistance was required.The operation was completed at 14h00.Then on Friday, 14th July, at 15h08, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a ski-boat suffering motor mechanical failure with 2 crew onboard, a father and his son, 1 nautical miles off Strand.The sea rescue craft Jack & Irene was launched and on arrival on the scene the 2 crew and their boat was found safe and a towline was rigged and they were towed safely into Gordons Bay Harbour and no further assistance was required.The operation was completed at 19h00.HIBBERDENE:Jeremiah Jackson, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said: At 10h15, Thursday, 13th July, NSRI Shelly Beach were alerted to investigate a yacht reported by eye-witnesses to be very close in-shore near to the surf-line and fears were that the yacht was running aground.Lifeguards and Police Search and Rescue were also alerted and NSRI Shelly Beach dispatched a rescue vehicle.On arrival on the scene it was found that the skipper of the yacht Blue, heading from Durban to East London, had come ashore to collect supplies and his 5 family members remained onboard but on trying to get back out to sea we believe that they were unable to raise the anchor.Before any assistance was rendered they were then able to raise the anchor and they motored out to sea a safe distance from shore and lifeguards launched a rescue rubber-duck to take the skipper back out to his yacht with his supplies.The skipper then informed NSRI that he was heading back to Durban under sails for repairs and NSRI Durban and NSRI Shelly Beach monitored his progress until they were safe in the Port of Durban around 22h00 that evening.Picture below: The yacht Blue close inshore at Hibberdene.

EAST LONDON:Geoff McGregor, NSRI East London station commander, said: At 08h12, Saturday, 15 July, NSRI East London duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from the ski-boat Real Nauti reporting one of their 3 crewman suffering a head laceration after being swept off the boat by a wave while fishing 6 nautical miles off-shore of the Kei River Mouth while taking part in the Jikeleza Fishing Competition.Earlier NSRI East London had been on stand-by for the start of the fishing competition and we dispatched our NSRI rescue vehicle towing our rescue runner to Yellow Sands.The local fisherman, aged in his 30's, had been recovered onto the ski-boat and they brought him to Yellow Sands where our rescue swimmers waded into the surf to help the boat to be recovered and the injured fisherman was treated for a head laceration.Aldersons private ambulance services were summoned and the man has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.PORT EDWARD:Alan Stilwell, NSRI Port Edward duty controller, said: At 09h51, Saturday, 15 July, NSRI port Edward duty crew were activated to respond to Leisure Bay following reports of a man being swept out to sea after being washed off rocks while fishing.The sea rescue craft Discovery 6 and our sea rescue vehicle were dispatched and Police Search and Rescue and Medivac private ambulance services responded.On arrival on the scene we found a 35 year old off-duty local lifeguard, who had been fishing from the rocks and was swept off the rocks by a wave, he had managed to swim back to shore but he had suffered bruises and lacerations to his body after being swept against rocks but he was safe out of the water.He was treated by NSRI medics for his injuries and handed into the care of Medivac paramedics on their arrival and he has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.